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CEA To Set Connector Standards

The Consumer Electronics Association. (CEA) has convened a new working group to create an electrical and mechanical specification for a standard docking connector for portable devices that need to be cradled and controlled in both an in-vehicle and in-home environment.

“To safely enjoy today's portable information and entertainment products in the car, you must be able to securely connect the portable devices in the car through cradles and other similar mechanisms,” said Brian Markwalter, CEA's technology and standards VP. “To accommodate this need, the portable device industry has thus far invented a variety of proprietary docking connectors that are not generally interoperable.”

The aim of the working group is to create a standard that could be adopted by all manufacturers.

The group includes aftermarket electronics providers, OEM integration kit providers, chipset providers and portable device manufacturers. CEA membership is not required to participate in the group. To join, please contact Megan Hayes at mhayes@ce.org.